Haemophilus paragallinarum vaccine

Abstract

The invention is concerned with a vaccine for the protection of poultry against Haemophilus paragallinarum infection. Chickens vaccinated with a membraneous fraction of H. paragallinarum cells comprising a 38 kD outer-membrane protein are well protected against infection.

I claim: 
     
       1. A vaccine for the protection of poultry against Haemophilus paragallinarum infection, comprising a membraneous fraction of Haemophilus paragallinarum cells comprising a protein of about 38 kD measured in SDS-PAGE, said protein in an immunogenically effective amount, said vaccine being essentially free of Haemophilus paragallinarum cells and Haemophilus paragallinarum filamentous material, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent. 
     
     
       2. A vaccine according to claim 1, derived from an outer-membrane preparation having the 38 kD protein as a major protein component. 
     
     
       3. A vaccine according to claim 1, derived from membraneous fractions of Haemophilus paragallinarum cells of at least two different serotypes. 
     
     
       4. A vaccine according to claim 3, derived from membraneous fractions of Haemophilus paragallinarum cells selected from the group consisting of serotypes A, B and C. 
     
     
       5. A vaccine according to claim 1 additionally comprising at least one other microorganism infectious to poultry or immunogenic material thereof. 
     
     
       6. A vaccine according to claim 1, additionally comprising an adjuvant. 
     
     
       7. Haemophilus paragallinarum antigenic material, comprising a membraneous fraction of Haemophilus paragallinarum cells comprising a protein of about 38 kD measured in SDS-PAGE, said protein, essentially free of cells and filamentous material. 
     
     
       8. Antigenic material according claim 7, comprising an outer-membrane preparation having the 38 kD protein as a major protein component. 
     
     
       9. A method for the preparation of a vaccine according to claim 1, comprising culturing Haemophilus paragallinarum bacteria cells in medium, disrupting cultured Haemophilus paragallinarum bacteria cells, separating membraneous material therefrom comprising a protein of about 38 kD by centrifugation and mixing said material with an adjuvant to form a preparation with immunizing activity. 
     
     
       10. A method for the protection of poultry against Haemophilus paragallinarum infection, comprising administering an immunologically effective amount of the vaccine according to claim 1 to the poultry. 
     
     
       11. An antiserum immunoreactive with the Haemophilus paragallinarum antigenic material according to claim 7. 
     
     
       12. A pharmaceutical preparation comprising antiserum according to claim 11 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent.